Art

So recently I went through a whole "redo/ organize the house phase" I ended up repainting almost everything, well the main living spaces anyway, and organizing some major spaces in my home (post in itself for later)

Then I was on a mission to find art to hang in my home. 

Lately I have been on a "beauty around" kick. I don't want some random print of a pretty flower, I want a print of one of MY flowers, or MY child hood home, or the gorgeous lake we enjoy every summer, or Crater Lake (since we live near it), or of one of the forests that are ours, or the fence in OUR yard . . .see what I mean. 

I went on a search around town to find "local art" . . . no dice! I was super shocked that there really isn't ANYTHING. I couldn't even find "art" pictures of Crater Lake or Fort Klamath, or any of the many lakes that we are surrounded by in this area. It was very disappointing. So I went home and started snapping pictures from my own yard.

Now I am NOT a photographer in any sense of the word, I don't really even have a real camera, but I was determined to have "local" art in my home.

I thought I could print a grouping of three and frame them . . . I didn't but that was my original plan.

Then I decided to call on a friend and amazing artist to help me out with my home art dilemma.

I found a picture on line a while back (I think on pintrest) I sent her a copy and asked if she could duplicate something similar on my wall.

She, thankfully, said yes and came over and started working . . .

While she finished up the painting I got busy collecting pictures . . .OLD family pictures.

Most of what I gathered is from my mom's side. I am hoping to add or change out pictures from my dad's side and from Terry's family too.

It turned out AMAZING!!!!

 I love the conversation piece that it is in our home, for the centerpiece it is and I love that our little family can see actual faces from their past.
One other awesome thing is I actually have a great grandmother that was married in Ashland in 1908. I have a picture of her wedding party on the Ashland streets in 1908! THEN they went on their honey moon to Crater Lake and I have a picture of them sitting in front of Crater Lake in 1908!
HOW COOL! I take my kids to Crater Lake a lot and now they know and can see a great, great, grandmother that was at that very place 100 years ago!
It's super awesome!
And if I am being completely honest it is a little creepy too :-/
WHAT? when you walk past a wall of dead people . . . YOUR OWN dead people, its a little unnerving.
But I have always been super creeped out by that kind of thing anyway. My mom oh's and ah's and is filled with tender feelings toward my wall, I am sure I will do the same at some point too. The fact that I got the wall done one week Terry was in Chicago, so I was home alone with my hyper active imagination and a wall of dead people didn't help the tender feelings. . .

 I do LOVE how it turned out and I am already dreaming of other things I want her to come paint at my house. I told her one already and she sounded like she would do it too!!!!
In the mean time I informed her about the serious lack of "local" art around this area (well at least that isn't ducks or hunting dogs or quail) and maybe she, or some other local artist will provide some supply for our need!? Folk art of main street, pencil sketch of Collier . . . oh the possibilities!

 I am still looking for other art to display . . . I'll keep you posted ;)